For the Sacramento Kings, this season has always been about making the playoffs. After all, you don't re-sign Malik Monk to a four-year extension or execute a sign-and-trade for DeMar DeRozan if you don't plan on making some noise in the postseason.
The bottom line is that this season will be considered a major disappointment for the Kings if they don't advance to the game's second season. So, if the playoffs started today, where would they stand?
Where Kings stand in playoff race
As of today (Wednesday, March 12), the Kings are 33-31. In the unforgiving Western Conference, that is good for just ninth. If they were in the Eastern Conference, they would be the seventh seed.
So, if the playoffs started today, the Kings would have to fight for their right to party in the NBA Play-In Tournament. Since they are the eighth seed, they would have to win two straight games to secure the eighth seed.
Their first game would be at home against the injury-plagued Dallas Mavericks. If they won that game, they would go on the road to play the loser of a game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers. And if they managed to emerge from that outing victorious, they would be rewarded with the eighth seed and a first round date with the 53-12 Oklahoma City Thunder.
Can the Kings move up/down in the standings?
Fortunately, the Kings' fate is not sealed. The Kings are only 1.5 games back from the Clippers. If they can jump them in the standings, they will get the eighth seed and thus only have to win one of two games (one at home) in the play-in tournament. Plus, if they win their first game, they could get the seventh seed and avoid a first round matchup against the Thunder.
Team | Record | Games Back From #6 Seed |
|---|---|---|
Golden State Warriors | 37-28 | -- |
Minnesota Timberwolves | 37-29 | 0.5 |
Los Angeles Clippers | 35-30 | 2.0 |
Sacramento Kings | 33-31 | 3.5 |
Dallas Mavericks | 33-33 | 4.5 |
Phoenix Suns | 30-35 | 7.0 |
Portland Trail Blazers | 28-38 | 9.5 |
The Kings are three games behind the Timberwolves. With 18 games left, they still have a very real chance of catching the Timberwolves, which would put them at seventh in the standings. This gives the Kings two chances – both at home – to win one game.
The last realistic upward milestone they could achieve is leapfrogging the Golden State Warriors for the sixth seed. The Warriors are 3.5 games ahead of the Kings right now. If the Kings can get all the way to the sixth seed, they get an automatic playoff bid without having to deal with all the stress of the play-in tournament.
The Kings are only a game ahead of the Mavericks. So, in theory, they could theoretically slip in the standings. However, given how deflated the Mavericks' roster is, it seems unlikely that this flip-flop in the rankings would happen.